Beach Towel Rack

Warmer weather around here means mom’s pool is open! Woo hoo!

rubber ducky, pool

Mom’s pool is right off of their basement/entertaining area with a covered patio (from the deck above).

I recently came across this free standing towel/magazine/blanket rack but didn’t love the price or that the little kids might view it as a jungle gym or that it’d be another obstacle cluttering up the yard or patio.

Free Standing Blanket/Magazine/Towel Rack

{Amazon affiliate link}

“Not-in-my-budget” and “not quite what I had in mind” makes me look for do-it-yourself options. I considered making this but while visiting my mom one day, I realized one wall of her covered patio area is a big blank canvas and mentioned to her that she should create a DIY towel bar stretching the length of that wall for hanging beach towels to dry. I thought maybe galvanized pipe and elbows.

But when I recently headed over to mom’s, she had a prettier option secured to the concrete block (masonry bit and screws)…

double curtain rod to towel bar

It’s a large double curtain rod from Lowe’s! {I get my creativity from her.}

curtain rod towel bar

It’s perfect for hanging beach towels to dry out of little ones’ reach {pardon “grandma’s playground for the little grandkids”}.

curtain rod beach towel bar

I just thought it was a really great idea and makes an otherwise wasted space useful and no more hanging beach towels on back of patio chairs to dry!

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DIY Show Off – Mudroom/Back Entry Way Makeover

My Mudroom/Back Entry Way:
Niski welcomes you to our home. {We lost our sweet doxie girl 12/10.}
Entryway to the back yard before we bought the house with single door and blue carpeting (standing in dining room).
Installation of French doors:
New slate tile floor:
*My chair was featured in Better Homes & Gardens 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100!
Key keeper for those who LOSE everything!. Key Keeper Tutorial
We decided to repurpose this mirror that was hanging over the fireplace when we purchased our home (picture of living room before we bought the house). Remove very carefully. Luckily ours was only held in place by brackets. No glue.
This is the room that I decorate (and I’m not exaggerating) at least once of month, sometimes more.
Ready for summer:

Then it looked like this for a while:
Then a holding room for the wingbacks…
then this..

Christmas 2011: New paint, curtains

No sew drop cloth script curtain tutorial.

Custom Chalkboard Paint Tutorial {and edging tips}

The sitting room is now a special dining space for two:

no sew drop cloth script curtains

valentine's day, dining nook

Sitting room December 2012:

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DIY Project Parade ~ DIY Pipe Curtain Rod Tutorial

HAPPY NEW YEAR, DIY SHOW OFF FRIENDS! 2011 was awesome and wishing you an even better 2012. Welcome to the First DIY Project Parade of 2012!

12 foot curtain rods are expensive!  I love the look of our new affordable DIY curtain rod made from pipe and fittings:

I knew True Value would stock the materials I needed:
2 – 6′ galvanized steel pipes (True Value will cut/thread the ends to any size)
3 galvanized 1/2″ flanges
3 galvanized 1/2″ tee fittings
3 1/2″ connectors {nipples}

Parts:

Drywall screws

2 finials and 1 wine cork

Tools:
Stud finder
Drill
Screw driver
Level

I gave all of my pieces a coat of Krylon‘s hammered metal:

1.  Find and mark studs. Measure/mark the height you’d like the curtain rod to hang (not my hairy arm!).

2. Attach “tee” to flange using nipple. Do this for all three pieces.

3. and 4.  Slide on curtain rings onto pipe at this stage. Tip:  Keep curtain rings clipped to plastic casing they came with or clipped to index card or piece of cardboard to help keep them in place during installation (not shown). Attach two flange sets to the ends of a pipe.

5.  Hold pipe with flanges on each end up to the wall, mark holes for screws (use a level to make sure rod hangs straight) by starting a hole with a spade bit or nail (hammer lightly).

6.  Four screws to each flange.

7.  Attach last flange set to remaining pipe.

8.  Slide on more curtain rings (I use 7 for each curtain panel).

9. Screw one end of pipe into the tee that’s secured to the wall.

10.  Twist flange so it’s flush to the wall.

Note:  The installation process will scuff your walls…you’ll need to touch up.

11. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other end.

12. Choose 2 finials that fit in your space and match your style. I spray painted mine to match the pipes.

13. Cut a piece of a wine cork in half.

14. Shave down the sides. (Make 2 pieces, one for each end of the pipe.)

15.  Push a piece of the cork into the end of the pipe.

16.  Screw the finial into place into the cork.

Done and ready for curtains!

I love the industrial look. {No Sew Drop Cloth Script Curtain Tutorial here}

More photos of the sitting room “Christmas un-decorated” coming up!  🙂

Let’s see what you’ve been up to!

The DIY Show Off

1. You must use the button above (ADD BUTTON HTML CODE FROM SIDE BAR TO YOUR POST) and link to this post to share the linky love. You post must be recent, shared at one DIY Project Parade only (not continuously) and be DIY related.
2.Include your name or blog name and project title. Add your permalink (not your blog url, but your DIY project post url). Feel free to link a Past Post, just invite your readers in a current post with a quick note.
3.Or email your link to thediyshowoff@gmail.com and I will add it for you.
4.If you notice your link has disappeared -please add the link back to The DIY Show Off to your post today, a button or a quick note to your readers about the party and try again! I love when everyone participates and readers check out everyone’s links, but I think the return favor of linking back is the nice thing to do so everyone plays fair and enjoys all of the projects and links. Also – this blog party is for DIY projects only. Links not related to DIY will be deleted. Please share your link one week only.

5.  If reading this in an email, pop over to https://diyshowoff.com to see the inspiring DIY projects linked up!
6.  NOW you can “like” the links!  What a fun idea!  Most liked links may be included in a post of DIY Project Parade highlights later in the week.

7.  Visit a few other links to make some new friends, get some creative ideas and feel free to leave me a comment. I’m likely sitting here on the computer and could use a happy distraction!
Don’t forget to come back Sunday evening and link up your 2011 DIY recap and my DIY year in review.
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I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. FOLLOW TRUE VALUE ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!~*~*~*~*~

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